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Adding Console Window to WPF Application

Mar 1st, 2009 by

I’ve had several WPF projects which required showing a log window.  The idea is to log a constant stream of status messages for a admin to monitor.  You could write your own LogWindow and pass messages into the window but there is an easier way.  Tell your WPF application to run as a ‘Console’ application.

Now this sounds funny but it is easy to do and doesn’t impact your WPF application.

  • Right click the Project Properties node in the Solution explorer or choose the Project menu.

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  • Change the project Application Type to ‘WPF Console Application.

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Run the application, you will see two windows; the main WPF window and the console window.

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Using Console

To write to the console window use Console.Write or Console.WriteLine.  You can also control the size and position of the window and change the font color.

Console.SetWindowSize(40, 20);
Console.SetWindowPosition(0, 0);
Console.Title = "Log Window";

Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Yellow;

Console.WriteLine("Log: Something happened");

Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Red;
Console.WriteLine("Details: Database initialized");

// use worker thread
var del = new Action<string>(Console.WriteLine);
del.Invoke("Details: Database closed");

 

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Posted in WPF

6 Responses to “Adding Console Window to WPF Application”

  1. Huw Pendry says:
    April 21, 2009 at 7:45 am

    In both my copy of Studio 2008 Standard Edition and my works copy which is Professional Edition, there is not a “WPF Console Application” listed, just a “Console Application”, however this still works.

  2. Walt Ritscher says:
    April 21, 2009 at 8:26 am

    There isn’t a WPF console applcation. You need to create a WPF or Windows Forms application then switch to Console app in the project properties dialog

  3. Angelo Rohit says:
    April 22, 2009 at 10:50 pm

    This was interesting. Thanks.

  4. Huw Pendry says:
    April 27, 2009 at 3:15 am

    Anyone trying this should be aware that using Console.Readline will tie up the UI thread and make your window unresponsive, unless you do some nifty multi-threading.

  5. Jörg Lenhard says:
    October 26, 2010 at 12:37 am

    Very easy and very helpfull (and just as valid for Visual Studio Ultimate 2010)! Thank you a lot!

  6. Aybe says:
    November 12, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    Great shortcut !